Connections
by Threwmycoffeeforyou
Summary: Set after "I Kissed A Girl" Jane considers dating a woman and recreates a dating profile. She has no idea that a woman she has grown so fondly of online is her own best friend. Based on a prompt idea on tumblr (kathytakespictures)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: As much as I would love that any fan could do so, I do not in any way own these characters, nor will I ever. Instead, plot lines, character names, etc may be used to further a story that the creator of the series may not have intended to have written. **

**This is based of a prompt that a tumblr user (kathytakespictures) was interested in. I do not know for sure how long I intend to make it, but it will most likely be a series of chapters rather than a one-shot since it's more fun IMO to have something to look forward to reading. **

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Delete. One click of the mouse and it would all disappear, as if it never happened. Away would go the possibilities and potential success that her mother could only dream about. One simple action that she knew she should do, and yet, she moved the cursor from the large red button on her laptop and clicked the mailbox icon.

She didn't even know what prompted her to join a dating site. She wasn't even remotely interested in finding someone. It's not like she had the time. What, with work consuming most of her energy. There couldn't be a sane human being that would find dating her a positive experience. She had her fair share of men who wanted her to take it easy while working as a homicide detective. That wasn't going to fly for Jane Rizzoli. No way. She couldn't even fathom being with someone who couldn't accept her career.

Her mother constantly nagged her and her brothers about grandchildren. _I'm not getting any younger, Janie, _she would tell her while cleaning the towering stack of dirty dishes in her daughter's sink. Jane would just roll her eyes and throw out some sarcastic response about how grandmothers weren't supposed to be in their 30's like in the trashy reality television shows.

But she supposed her mother had a point. Jane wasn't getting any younger either. She was nearing her mid-thirties. And although she often showed disdain for them, Jane had to admit she had a soft spot for children. They were innocent souls that provided a great contrast from the murderers and criminals Jane often faced on a daily basis. She could picture some mini-Rizzoli children running around while her mother prepared Sunday dinner at her childhood home. Her brothers would teach them their own tricks from their younger days, or how to toss a perfect spiral. Maura would be there too, probably scaring them with some type of scientific nonsense about their gross nose picking habits.

Jane had to laugh at herself at this moment- sitting on a stool at her kitchen counter, Miller 64 in one hand, mouse in the other, scrolling through singles in the Boston area while imagining her future. Maura would think she was crazy, desperate even.

They had recently closed a case where Jane had to pose as a lesbian on a dating site to catch a killer. Turns out the killer wasn't even on the dating site, but instead was a team of both the wife of the victim and the bar owner where the girl was killed. Jane's team decided, without her approval, to set up a dating account to use as bait. She was appalled by some of the choices they chose while setting up her profile, but she was mostly surprised she had as many hits as she did. Her support system- Angela, Maura, Korsack, and Frost have all said many times how attractive she was, but she always pushed that to the back of her brain. She didn't want her job performance to reflect brighter because of her looks. No, she wanted to be the best damn homicide detective in the city of Boston, which required many sleepless nights, minimal makeup, and even fewer chances to go out and flash her looks to some date she had no intention of going on.

Most people would be intimidated dating someone like Jane, especially men. So Jane reflected back on her short-lived lesbian adventure. Could she possibly see herself with a woman? Would her devout-Catholic family even allow that? She had nothing against the possibility of dating a woman. At this point in her life, she wasn't even sure what she would be against. She just knew that the men that she had so far involved herself with have not met the subconscious needs she was looking for.

_It couldn't hurt, to look around, right? _Jane asked Jo Friday, who was lying under her owner's stool, looking up at the sudden voice that filled the usual quiet room. Jane shrugged and sifted through the messages she had received since starting the account an hour before. She had decided to use a picture of Boston's skyline for her profile, rather than her own photo. She didn't want to chance anyone recognizing her and blabbing to her friends or family. She read the text from username- _tipsychica21._

"Luv the photo. Would luv 2 chat some time. We seem to share a lot of things in common. XO Rachel"

Curious, Jane clicked the profile link. Apparently Rachel had just turned 21. Her photo was her doing a keg stand at a BCU fraternity party, and her interests included- beer, spending daddy's money, and Taylor Swift. Jane shook her head and clicked the message icon again. She went through the last 5 with similar results, two being too young for her, one being too possessive, and the other two who were clearly still living at home in their thirties.

Growing tired, Jane decided to close the webpage and go to bed. Tossing her empty beer bottle in the trash, she grabbed Jo Friday from the floor and carried her to the bedroom. After brushing her teeth, she climbed into bed and let Jo snuggle close before drifting to sleep, alone, again.

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**More to come :) *saintyyy-tumblr.**


	2. Chapter 2

The highlight of the week typically comes from a call that someone has bit the dust. There was something about solving a murder case that really satisfied Jane. Many careers didn't require much work away from the desk, let alone catching the bad guy and getting to relish in the victory with a nice cold one at the Dirty Robber.

This week in particular, Jane was able to find a link between a stabbing victim and their previous employee who was looking for retaliation. It wasn't the most stressful case she's ever worked on, but it allowed a distraction from the various thoughts she had all week. It hadn't been long since the undercover case at the lesbian bar, and while she was always happy to defend her independence, she was still bothered she hadn't found anyone even remotely interesting on the dating site. She wasn't sure if it was her being too picky. Or that she wasn't attractive enough to find whatever girl she was looking for, but it was nice to find that guy lying in a pool of blood three nights ago.

"Jane?"

Jane looked up from the label she was picking from her beer. Maura was watching her with a concerned expression.

"Jane, didn't you hear me? Are you having trouble hearing? That could be a sign of presbycusis."

"Pres be what now!?" Jane shouted out before looking around at the people staring at their table.

"Hearing loss," Maura explained. "Aging and additional factors could accelerate the process. I've tried informing you many times of your saturated fat intake."

"Well stop it, I'm not giving up perfectly good burgers so I can continue to listen to your hypothetical opinions," Jane smirked. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about…" Maura nodded, waiting for her explanation. "…um…running?"

"Running?!" Maura asked, clearly taken aback. Jane hated running. She could never get the girl to go for more than a mile before she was stomping back towards Maura's house. "You were thinking about running?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Yes," she paused. She glanced at the community board at the back of the bar. "The marathon's coming up soon." Watching her best friend's eyes light up she continued, "I was wondering if you would want to run together."

"Really? You are inviting me to run 26.2 miles with you?"

"Why not? You are always saying we need to do more things together, away from a crime scene. It could be fun. Unless you decide you want to talk my ear off. If that's the case, I will be carrying spare batteries for my mp3 player."

"That sounds delightful!" Maura clapped excitedly. "Although, it wouldn't be possible to talk your ear off. Unless of course…"

"Sarcasm, Maur," Jane muttered playfully, shaking her head at the innocence Maura never seemed to lose.

Although she often found the things her best friend to say as unnecessary, or at least too detailed, she loved that Maura was a good sport with her teasing. It was more of a defense mechanism than anything, but she was aware of the pain her words sometimes caused when she sputtered them out without restraint. The way the light would leave the usual bright eyes of her companion, the frown lines settling slightly, downcast glances. It was like kicking a puppy who was excited that their owner wanted to play to instead being thrown in a crate and locked away all day.

She loved the woman, and in their short friendship, Jane found that she and Maura connected in ways that no other friend of hers had ever done. They were complete opposites- one growing up in the slums with two brothers and a crazy parental unit who fought over things as simple as the changing leaves. The other, an adopted only child, who could rarely recall her parents ever being in the same room together. Jane was a tough, calculating individual who was never short of sarcastic remarks. Maura on the contrary was slightly naïve to the social aspects around her, instead wanting to learn more about the science of the world, and how it related to everyday life. She could be very guarded, stubborn even, but she had learned as a young child she was meant to discover things by herself.

It still surprised Maura seven years into their friendship that they had grown so close. Given their outstanding differences in personalities, it would seem uncommon for a mutual bond. It was known that opposites attract, at least in scientific terms, but people typically conform to similar beings to feel a sense of belonging. It was a survival technique. Jane wasn't scared of Maura's sophisticated lifestyle, while Maura was fascinated by the familial environment she observed in her best friend's.

"When are you available to start training for the marathon? Given the limited amount of time before the day of the race," Maura paused, calculating in her head, "we are already five steps behind in my marathon-training schematic."

"You have a marathon-training schematic?" Jane asked, sipping her beer as she realized it wasn't exactly odd for her to plan ahead for a race she probably wasn't even registering for.

"Of course, Jane," Maura said matter-of-factly. "It is the most effective way to ensure the smallest possibilities of injury."

"Let's start tomorrow," Jane suggested, checking her phone. It was close to 10pm and she was exhausted.

"6am is a perfect time!" Maura stated more than suggested. She pulled a twenty dollar bill from her wallet and set it on the table. "We'd better go, it's getting late and I know what kind of challenge it is to get you out of bed on a Saturday morning."

Jane rolled her eyes as she slid out of the booth. "I'm not _that_ bad, Maura." Chuckling, she put her arm around her friend. "Besides, not everyone is as poised and professional as you."

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Jane slipped into a comfortable pair of sweats and oversized t-shirt before going into the kitchen for a small snack. She hadn't eaten much during the day since she was set on finishing the case, and the beer at the bar built her appetite. Making herself a peanut butter and fluff sandwich, she sat down at her bar, and flipped open her laptop. After scanning through her work email, she closed the browser. She hesitated pulling the screen down, wondering if she should chance looking at the god-awful site she had been drawn to the past few days. It was already getting late, and even though she was off tomorrow, she had promised Maura three times on the way home that she would be serious in their running; no matter how many cramps she got in her leg.

Looking at the clock, she figured she could spend a few minutes checking it out. It wasn't like anyone interesting would have reached out to her since yesterday anyways. Making up her mind, she pulled open her web browser and typed in the first few letters in the address bar before the site automatically filled in for her. Shaking her head, she thought even her computer must think she was pathetic, logging in for the second time in two days. The page loaded, and Jane found four new messages in her inbox. Clicking the link, she noticed three messages were from previous accounts that had tried to reach out to her. She ignored those, knowing they were way too young for her to even entertain the idea. The last was from a user named _BadCaseofLovingYou_ sent that afternoon.

"Someone close to my age?" Jane said aloud as she scanned the profile. "Shocker." She clicked the link and read the message.

**Glad to see someone else in the same age range on here. Seems to be useful for the middle twenties population, more so than the business professionals of Boston. Judging by some of the interests you have listed on your profile, it seems we share some things in common. It would be great to get to know more about you. I've got to run, busy day at the office, but I hope to hear back from you!**

Jane reread the message before opening up the person's profile again. She scanned through and picked up what she could about the stranger. Turns out she was a book nerd growing up, which continued to her current age. She traveled with family on many occasions to various parts of the world, frequently on her family's private jet. It said she worked various hours, a lot of time on call, so it was hard to meet people, so she was trying an online profile out.

_Maura would get along with this woman just fine,_ Jane thought to herself. She could only imagine dating a woman who reminded her so much of her best friend. That was crazy, wasn't it? Sure, the way they acted around each other was a little…ok, a whole lot more intimate than most friendships. But it was the way they were. They had always been super protective of each other and fit to each other's strengths and weaknesses really well. But it wasn't on a romantic level, was it? Jane shook her head, thinking she was letting herself get crazy over nothing. She clicked the message one more time and decided to respond.

_**It definitely is nice to find someone that isn't going to ask me to forge notes out of gym class. I've had a busy day myself, finally able to rest after a long work week. Sometimes I wonder if I should've listened to my mother and found a rich husband so I could just spend his money. ;) Anyways, I've got an early day ahead, but you and I definitely seem to have some things in common. It'd be nice to find out more. Until next time! **_

Following her nightly routine, she scooped up her beloved Jo Friday and tossed her on the bed before going to brush her teeth. Climbing into bed, she hoped the loneliness she was feeling every time she returned home would eventually disappear.

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For someone like Maura Isles, growing up in a rich environment, an outsider wouldn't think meeting new people would be such a stressful situation. But the truth was, she was always an outsider, even with her own family. Granted, she was adopted, but she never truly felt like she fit in with anyone. When she was younger, the children in her school judged her for her interest in science and reading. She was fascinated by the world and was always willing to give up spending time with her so-called friends to read up on the latest studies she could find.

Eventually, she had brochures from a prestigious boarding school sent to her house in hopes that she could focus on her studies in an environment that didn't resort to bullying. Her mother, who was always traveling to one art show to the next, was thrilled with the idea of sending her daughter off.

Maura continued through with her interests in science, biology, mathematics, and any other analytical course load to keep her mind fresh. On a trip with her anatomy class in grade 12, she found her calling. She wanted to become a pathologist.

The idea of going to medical school, training for years to become a doctor, and using her vast knowledge in areas she enjoyed excited her. Even more so, she was entertained by the fact that she could become a doctor and not have to treat the living. She could become a voice, so-to-speak, for the dead. There wouldn't be anyone to judge her, tease her, or exclude her from normal social activities. She could feel proud of her accomplishments, even when she felt as if no one else was paying attention.

Being the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was indeed a very big deal. Her career up-to-date had been stellar, working her way up the ladder until her boss retired seven years before. She had been working in a different sector of Massachusetts, and received glowing recommendations from different agencies that eventually led to her being promoted over several other medical examiners. Some weren't too happy with the choice, specifically because of her age, as well as gender, but she wouldn't let that affect her.

She had met Jane a few days into her new job title, and they got off to a rocky start. Jane was in her last rotation as a Drug Unit detective, and while she was great at figuring leads and getting busts, being the woman in an undercover case meant she had to pretend to be a hooker. Maura was in the police station a few minutes before she was set to work and decided on a coffee in the café. When she stepped in line, she noticed a tall, lanky brunette in trashy clothing at the front arguing with the barista. She didn't seem like a normal hooker, although now that she thinks of it, she didn't know the exact perimeters of being a woman who sold their body for money. Figuring the woman may not have any money, especially with the attitude she was displaying, Maura offered to buy the woman a coffee and some food. The woman snapped at her and stormed off, but not before threatening the barista about their car being towed that day. She thought it was weird that a hooker would think she had authority to do so, but was even more shocked to find the same woman in her office three weeks later, dressed in a simple pair of slacks and a t-shirt. From there, the two women saw more of each other on a daily basis, mostly due to autopsies and crime lab findings that the detective needed in her homicide cases.

During an emotional case that involved Jane and a serial killer named Charles Hoyt, the two grew closer than either one could've imagined. They had worked amicably for three years, and when a string of murders from different parts of the country suddenly fit in the description of murders happening in Boston, the pair teamed together to find the madman behind it all. Maura had inadvertently given Jane a lead that led straight to Hoyt, and the detective stubbornly pursued it without the chance for backup. Jane had stumbled in on Hoyt's latest target tied to a bed in a dark basement. As she looked to help the woman, Hoyt attacked her from behind and later stabbed scalpels into each palm of Jane's hands, pinning her to the ground. Maura had helped Korsak figure where Jane was headed and he got there in time to save his partner. Over the next few months, Jane and Maura rarely left each other's side. They were both coping with the extremities of the case in different ways, and Jane needed a friend like Maura, who wouldn't treat her as if she was fragile and unfixable.

Now over seven years into their friendship, they were still inseparable. Of course they bickered back and forth over each other's unbearable personalities. But both knew where to draw the line. They were each other's lifeline, and any fights they had rarely lasted more than a few minutes before they were back to normal again. They worked so well in fact, that it seemed that whenever one had decided to dip their toes in the dating scene, it was as if the man would realize the bond the two shared and figured he didn't have a chance breaking their dynamic. And since they both had heavy workloads, neither seemed to mind much.

Maura seemed to date more frequently in the past few months than she had her whole life. She was constantly gaining more confidence in spending time with people with a pulse. A few men here and there had caught her interest, and she was happiest she had ever been. Still, in the back of her mind she knew there was something missing from these interactions. All her life, Maura had felt independent. She worked her way through school to do what she loved. She got the house of her dreams and was living on cloud nine. The only thing missing was the sense of comfort and pride she wasn't getting. Her friends she had gained over the years in BPD made her feel welcome and like she belonged. But every date she had been on had left her with a feeling of urgency to get away from them. It was as if she subconsciously knew it wasn't going to work out.

That urgency didn't fully leave her, until the night of the undercover operation at Club Merch with Jane a little over a week before. She was recruited by her friend to go and collect DNA samples from potential killers on mini-dates. Maura was more than excited, mostly for the chance to role play. She loved the idea of being a different person, even if only for a few hours. So she showed up before Jane to pose as a waitress. The uniforms provided certainly did not leave anything to the imagination, and she had to admit, she felt quite good from all the stares she was receiving from her customers. So when Jane strolled in, plain slacks, shirt, and that awful jacket of hers, Maura was feeling a little flirty. Jane of course was uncomfortable, which made it more fun for her. She loved the way Jane couldn't even try to hide the obvious ogling when she was eye level with Maura's chest. It was obvious that even though they had never discussed the possibility of female attraction, it was something that wasn't necessarily out of the picture. She had read numerous articles about the levels of the Kinsey scale and was aware that her attractions didn't necessarily have a certain level marker.

She typically dropped subtle hints to try and rouse Jane into the idea that as two single, independent females, men were unnecessary, but Jane was so clueless sometimes. And Maura didn't want to test the boundaries of their friendship to the point that Jane freak out and things change for good, so she thought of other ways to try out her sudden interest: online dating.

She wouldn't expect much at all from it, considering she wasn't willing to post anything incriminating on her profile. She was a professional after all. She just didn't see the harm in testing the waters a little bit. After the case was solved, Maura celebrated with Jane, Korsak, and Frost before heading home to feed Bass. After, she picked the best dating site she could find that fit her interests, and created an account.

A few days in, she had a few not so nice conversations with some younger users who she believed needed some lifestyle adjustments. She had looked around the day before and found a profile that was vague in terms of picture, and description, but for some reason was interested in knowing more from the user named _ClumsyRunning_.

She had sent a message early in the afternoon, before she and Jane found the results matching the stabbing victim to the suspect in question. She wasn't sure how her message would come across, it wasn't like she was privy to this type of thing, but she was glad to have logged on and seen she had received a response. Quickly typing out a message, Maura decided she had better get some sleep if she was going to hold Jane to her promises of taking their training seriously.

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**Obviously it would seem a little OOC for both to be so...idk...willing to use the site, but hey, for story purposes, I had to get them on there somehow! Anyways, I'll throw some more fun into it next chapter. This one I guess was more so to lead in to Maura's side. :)**


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